Anadel – Well and the Wild – Atmospheric Folk

Discovering bands like Anadel are why I love writing for Ear to the Ground. We get a ton of solid music submitted to us weekly – music that should be recognized more widely. Yet every now and then you get a band that connects with your soul and transcends genre and promotion. These are the bands that are criminally over looked and under exposed to the general public. This six-piece from Napa, CA is such a band. On their most recent full-length release Well and the Wild, they are able to walk the fine line between art and sensibility. A certain beauty comes out on the ten well-crafted tunes that stir the soul with its own brand of optimism.
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“The Wild” starts off with Death Cab style restraint while gently enveloping the listener in the wall of sound that courses through the album. This song displays the band’s atmospheric folk sound beautifully. “The wild is coming” is harmonized over a thriving bass and violin. If you are looking for a soundtrack for stargazing in the fall, look no further.
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“Reprieve” is probably my favorite song on the album. It starts with a simple acoustic guitar before a haunting drum roll and violin set the mood. “I used to think my path was clear and straight ahead, but now every day is a forked road. . .I used to hear you, I used to know your voice but now its just dust and smoke” the band sings about faith and relational distance. The imagery is terrific without being trite or overdone. They wrestle with life and doubt while never surrendering to either. This pairs nicely with “The Well” which deals with similar themes. A song about heartbreak and longing, it includes one of the most potent verses on the whole album: “Lord if these are your children, why don’t they look like you . . .I rather drown my soul then to feed them to the wolves I see”.

It is safe to say that you will love Andadel. They are simply extraordinary in every way. Restrained but incredibly free, the band weaves tales of doubt and triumph worthy of the book of Ecclesiastes. The band is currently working on new material, and you can check out their brand new song “Oslo” below. If you enjoy bands like As Tall As Lions, Coldplay, and Death Cab For Cutie, or just love great instrumentation and haunting violin, then you would be well served to spend the $8 to download Well and the Wild on Bandcamp. You will not be disappointed.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xoi2APPjHUo]